“Nurse Jackie” mini-cap: My girlfriend’s back

Nothing is better that discovering that a favorite female TV character is in love with another woman. And this week on Nurse Jackie, we got to see the normally stoic Dr. Eleanor O’Hara get a bit flustered over a certain foreign news correspondent. Yes, Eleanor is smitten.

However, before we can get to the good stuff, we have to deal with a smitten Sam, the object of a quickie with Dr. O last week. He is making Eleanor uncomfortable by staring at her with his big brown eyes — and the doc clearly doesn’t want to acknowledge what was, to her, just a “bump in the chapel.”

Eleanor tries to keep Jackie at her side at all times to avoid a confrontation with Sam, leading to a lunchroom aside about the aforementioned news correspondent, Sarah Khouri, who’s giving a news report on TV.

Even Jackie has a crush on her:

Jackie: I could not love her more.Eleanor: Yeah, well get in line.

Sarah and Eleanor an on-again/ off-again relationship and judging from what O’Hara does this week, they are about to be on-again. Eleanor decides to give Jackie the scoop, prompting this exchange:

Jackie: You and Sarah Khouri? Really?Eleanor: Really.Jackie: You don’t do anything half-ass, do you?Eleanor: Apparently not.Jackie: I guess I shouldn’t be surprised; you’re pretty sophisticated.Eleanor: You keep telling me that.

O’Hara is on her way to Washington for a couple of days to see Khouri. She tells Jackie that she thought the relationship was over. It’s always over until you see the person again.

Conveniently, Sam breaks off things with Eleanor before she leaves, telling her that the afternoon delight has to be a one-time-only shag.

Sam: My girlfriend’s back.Eleanor: So’s mine.

We’ll see Sarah live and in person starting next week, beginning Julia Ormond’s three-episode arc.

Two other gay moments of note:

Marion Ross (Hi, Mrs. C.!) was this week’s guest star, appearing as Renata Thurber, an elderly woman neglected by a state-paid caregiver. Gay Thor recognizes her name as a Broadway hair stylist for Mame, Follies and Company. Renata and Gay Thor both light up talking about it — and it’s a nice nod to actor Stephen Wallem’s stage experience.

We also get an off-screen “appearance” by Coop’s lesbian moms when he calls for legal advice. (“Mom? Can I speak to Mom?”) Maybe Mom and Mom will show up later this season.

Did you enjoy this week’s Nurse Jackie? Were you at all surprised by Eleanor’s low-key coming out?